The Indian Navy inducted another state-of-the-art warship into its fleet on Saturday, with Defense Minister Rajnath Singh commissioning INS Mahendragiri, an indigenously designed stealth frigate and the sixth warship of the Project 17A Nilgiri class, at the Visakhapatnam shipyard.
The Minister of Defense also received a guard of honor during the commissioning ceremony.
Read also| The Indian Navy will commission the Mahendragiri stealth frigate in Visakhapatnam on July 11
Named after the Mahendragiri mountain range in the Eastern Ghats, the frigate symbolizes resilience, strength and unwavering determination. As the first warship of the Indian Navy to bear this name, Mahendragiri is truly one of its kind. The warship is expected to build a distinguished legacy and add another chapter to India’s maritime history.
Designed in-house by the Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau (WDB) and built by Mazagon Dock Shipbuilders Limited (MDL) of Mumbai, Mahendragiri is the sixth ship of the Project 17A class of stealth frigates. The ship reflects India’s growing experience in designing and building indigenous warships.
With over 75 per cent local content, the vessel reflects the success of the Government of India’s Aatmanirbhar Bharat initiative and highlights the growing capacity of the Indian shipbuilding ecosystem. A large number of Indian industries, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) have participated in the construction of the ship, thus strengthening the country’s defense industrial base and generating significant employment opportunities, the official statement said.
Mahendragiri is equipped with an advanced array of indigenous and modern weapons, sensors and electronic warfare systems, enabling it to effectively conduct anti-air, anti-surface and anti-submarine operations. The ship is also capable of conducting maritime security operations, search and rescue missions, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR), and sustained deployment across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR) and beyond.
The commissioning of INS Mahendragiri marks another milestone in the successful implementation of the Project 17A programme. As successive frigates of this type join the fleet, they will continue to enhance the combat capability of the Indian Navy while strengthening India’s position as a leading domestic warship building nation.
The Defense Minister arrived in Visakhapatnam on Friday evening, where he was received by Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Krishna Swaminathan.
Earlier, Singh described the commissioning of Mahendragiri as a proud moment for the nation and the Indian Navy.
“Heading to Visakhapatnam to witness a proud moment for our nation and the Indian Navy, to attend the commissioning ceremony of the sixth stealth frigate of Project 17A, Mahendragiri, on July 11, 2026,” the Defense Minister said in a post on the X website.
Describing the warship as a symbol of India’s growing self-reliance in defense manufacturing, Singh said: “This indigenously designed and built state-of-the-art warship is a testimony to the vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat and the incredible capabilities of our indigenous defense industries and small and medium scale enterprises.”
He further said, “Mahindragiri is ready to fight to protect India’s maritime interests and strengthen our resolve to secure the Indo-Pacific region.”
